Thursday, April 21, 2011

Parks and Recreation CIP Projects

I was curious about CIP projects and what, if any changes have been made in CIP projects for Parks and Recreation so I looked at the 2010-2014 CIP and the 2011-2015 CIP. Keep in mind that the 2010-2014 CIP was developed under the Munson administration and the 2011-2015 CIP was adopted under the current mayor's administration.

The 2010-2014 CIP called for $472 million in State, Federal and private funds to upgrade and expand the city's infrastructure, facilities, and equipment over the next five years. The 2011-15 CIP calls for $387.1 million over the next five years.

The following CIP projects were in the 2010-2014 CIP but were not in the Park & Recreation 2011-2015 CIP:

Bike Trail/Dev. Greenway ($560,400)

Maintenance Headquarters Improvements ($416,070)

Greenway Fishing Access ($100,00)

Laurel Oak Slide ($78,400)

Kenny Anderson Park Development ($145,300)

NE Brandon District School Site Development ($15,00)

Eastside Athletic Complex ($20,000)

Outdoor Ice System ($829,000)

The following CIP projects were added as new projects in the Parks and Recreation 2011-2015 CIP:

Leader's Park ($34,200)

Family Park ($345,800)

Prairie Meadows Park Development ($237,500)

Indoor Tennis Facility ($500,000)

Indoor Ice Facility ($500,00)

Indoor Aquatic Facility ($814,720)

Other projects were changed either in dollar amount or the project year was changed. I don't know the facts surrounding why certain projects were dropped from the previous 5 year plan and the new ones were added in the present five year plan. My review is simplistic at best and doesn't take into account Park Board input and administration approval. It's just interesting to make comparisons in light of what will be happening in future plans.

CIP's are developed by department directors and staff who do an excellent job planning, forecasting, and managing the city's program services and infrastructure needs. From past experience, project priorities change and mayors have played a large role in identifying project priorities, and sometimes even putting in their own pet projects.

It is interesting to see the 3 indoor facilities in the current 5 year plan. I haven't looked at the street projects but it will be interesting to watch what will be developed for future years in terms of additions and deletions.

Citizens need to pay attention to the introduction/hearings on the 2012-2016 CIP. The Event Center will have to be placed in this new upcoming 5 year plan currently being developed by the administration. It will be interesting to see what will be dropped and what will be added.

Everyone interested in city government needs to read each years mayors proposed budget and final budget. They are jam packed with all sorts of info. I read them with the same anticipation I have reading a Dan Brown novel. I knew a long time ago the good mayor was going to replace Jodi. The mayors department still called for the same amount of employees even after he made good his campaign promise and sent Jodi packing. It was just a question of how he was going to repackage her position. Too bad, cuz I thought Jodi served well and was the butt of way too much sick commentary.

The biggest thing I found interesting in the mayors proposed budget was what he did with each of the thirteen departments, including his own, about a line item in each called "Job Performance". In twelve departments that item took huge draconian cuts. One though actually had an increase. Guess which department? Yep. His own. Went from $51,005 to $56,175. I made mention of this on the Argus forum, and Argus comments section about his proposed budget. How did it shake out on the final budget? "Job Performance" for the mayors office went from $51,005 to $16,425. Job Performance should be completely eliminated. From every department. They get paid a substantial amount of money already without throwin in "performance" bonuses.

In City of Sioux Falls budgets, "Job performance" accounts include funding for training, memberships, dues, subscriptions, publications, mileage, and travel. There are absolutely no bonuses paid from those funds.

Any bonuses paid are public information since they are paid with tax dollars. For example, it didn't take very long to find out that in 2009 there were a grand total of $9,701.68 bonuses split between 5 people, and in 2010 only $6,000 split between 6 people.

If you want to look at something interesting, look at the deferred compensation in the budget. What is this?? It is 4% matching funds for all mid-management and management employees which is in addition to their pension plans. I hear so much about the lavish pension plans (they truly are not lavish) but hear nothing about this second secret pension for the management staff..

Well obviously it isnt a secret since you found it... ALL city employees can particpate in the ICMA 457 fund and most do. The fund is much like the 401k funds in the private sector. Employees contribute what they think they can afford. This fund is tax deferred until the employee retires. Upon retirement, the funds that the employees contributed begin to get dispersed back to the employee.

That being said, the 4% match was created when those in management were reclassified from an hourly employee to a salaried employee. Under FLSA managerial employees are salaried and are no longer compensated for overtime. The match was created to help make up the difference in lost overtime wages.

Isn't this blog about the parks CIP? Quit demonizing employees and focus...the issue is diversion of funds for the events center. Huether seems to be making his mark with CIP and department budgets. I am concerned about us having continued services. Won't be possible when the departments no longer ave any money in their budgets.

Sorry to steer the debate away from where it belongs. Just threw out some bait looking for an answer to something I've wondered about for a long time. Thanks for the expanation. Makes sense I guess. But why the draconian cuts to Job Performance?

Thanks for the explanation on Job Performance. Have wondered about that for a long time. Why the draconian cuts though? Did the city nearly completely cut out training, memberships, dues, subscriptions, publications, mileage, and travel?

We have moved away from the initial topic. How about Jennifer doing a blog on the matching deferred compensation only offered to certain employees?? Probably not because she likely participated in that very program. And I don't place any blame on those that do. Do other cities in the area offer that?? Not from what I am finding..